Eastern Bluebirds and Real Estate Decisions

I have seen Eastern Bluebirds visiting the nest boxes in my yard throughout the month of March, but until a day ago, investigation behavior was all I had observed.

I noticed a female bluebird visiting the nest box but she wasn't entering the box. She repeatedly fluttered around the entrance and landed on top peering down toward the entrance.  Her mate was on a limb above, singing.

When she did finally enter, I could hear screeching and the male bluebird flew down from his perch wing-waving,  He was clearly prepared to come to her aid, but out flew a Carolina Chickadee followed by the female bluebird who landed on the top of the nest box.

I thought the matter was settled at that point, but apparently both the male and female chickadees were in the box when the female bluebird arrived.  The female bluebird continued to flutter around the box entrance and sat on the top of the box for a long while watching and listening, with intermittent peering inside.

When she peered into the entrance, calls could be heard from inside.  The female chickadee was standing her ground, refusing to leave the nest box.  

In past years, I have had a bluebird build her nest on top of a nearly completed chickadee nest. Though, very brave-hearted, I don't think a tiny chickadee stands a chance when a bluebird decides she wants the nest box.

Ten minutes or so of the bluebird's repeated peering into the entrance and call exchanges and the female chickadee finally departed.  I later checked the box and found that she had the floor of the box nearly covered in moss, a first soft layer for her nest in progress.

Once the chickadee left the box, the male and female bluebirds, in turn, went inside to investigate. The female of the pair will select the nest box, though the male is very active in finding boxes and escorting her to them to take a look.

Now it remains to be seen whether this pair of bluebirds will actually nest in the box. Since they've driven the chickadees away, I'm hoping that means they're staying.

More seasons with Eastern Bluebirds on this blog:  Eastern Bluebird Family
Videos of an Eastern Bluebird family
Carolina Chickadee posts on this blog.
Eastern Bluebird art

Bluebird Family Life

Breeding season is a very busy time for Eastern bluebirds.   

The adult pair, three juveniles from their first brood, and five hatchlings (hatched on May 27 and 28th) make up the bluebird family of ten that are living in and around the nestbox and mealworm feeder in my yard.  Above you see the hatchlings on May 28th. Consider that the nest cup is approximately 2.5 inches across and you will get a better sense of the size of these tiny, newly hatched babies.  

By this time, the fledged juveniles are feeding themselves.  They have received firm warnings from both parents, beginning well before the eggs hatched, so that they no longer expect to be fed when a parent arrives with food.  In fact, the juveniles are very curious about what's happening in the nest box and are watching as their parents bring food to the young in the nest.  

And the foods offered to the nestlings are very particular and tender.  In the first few days, the parents bring the tiniest spiders, worms and insects to the young.  One wonders how they ever see and capture anything that small, especially when the feeding intervals can be as frequent as four times a minute with both parents feeding.  

Above the female pauses before entering the nestbox entrance, and below she takes a break for a cool bath.  

One of the juveniles considers taking a bath, below, but was too timid on this occasion to jump in.  Perhaps she was a bit camera shy.  I suspect she drinks and bathes frequently at other times during the day since we've been having 90 F degree temperatures, much warmer than is typical for this time of year in Tennessee.  

To see last year's juvenile's bathing visit:  Juvenile Bluebirds Enjoy the Water, and to see juveniles feeding their younger siblings, visit:  Juveniles Helping Parents.  To see all my bluebird posts visit:  Bluebird Family.

Feeding Hungry Bluebird Juveniles

Early morning feedings can be mass confusion at times.  Especially when eastern bluebirds juveniles are cold and hungry.  

Such was the case on this 49° F May morning with the air so much colder than the summer-like weather we had been having.  The juveniles' feathers were fluffed up for warmth and when the male appeared with mealworms, three juveniles descended from overhead limbs, each vying for position--wings fluttering, eager cheeping, and even landing on top of a sibling if that's what it took to get near the food.    

In this case, I think the closest mouth won the meal.  Each of the above images includes three juveniles, though its not easy to sort them out, and eventually two fell off the perch during the scramble.  You have to admire the steady perseverance of parents under these circumstances.  The male fed his mealworms quickly, hopped clear, returned to the feeder, and came back with a fresh supply, feeding until calm was restored.    

Though the female was near and even landed on the garden shepherd's perch near the feeder, she did not participate in the feeding on this occasion.  A little later she flew into the nestbox.  The male was quite interested in this and flew down to the nestbox guard to peek inside and see what was happening.  

I was interested too, and later, after the family left to hunt elsewhere and the nestbox area was quiet, I checked to see if we had eggs.  And yes, we have two eggs!  

Above, three juveniles rest on a limb after being fed, huddled together to take advantage of the extra warmth.

Links and resources:

Visit my previous post, Landlord or Local Diner?  My yard and its nestboxes and mealworm feeder were part of the wintering territory of a small flock of bluebirds with one dominate male and female pair.  However, the pair did not select one of my yard's nestboxes for their first nesting this season.  I later realized that the red-shouldered hawk that had been seen perched in the yard on several occasions during early spring was the likely reason the pair chose a different nest site.  Red-shouldered hawks have fledged their young by now and are wandering beyond their nesting territories.  And, I am happy to have a nesting pair of bluebirds in my yard again!  

To see my posts on last season's nesting bluebirds, visit:  Bluebird Family